Etching Tank

[glue-itcom]

I made an etching tank that uses a fish tank air bubbler to help circulate the ferric chloride. This improves the quality of the etchings. The video shows us adding a dye to the water filled tank to watch the flow of water, the bubbles in the end chamber lift the water and so creates a circulation of the fluid.



Plans for the etching tank, a nominal cost of £2.50 (approximately $4) - this feels reasonable as I think a beer/coffee would be a fair exchange for a set of plans.

 

[timo_gross]

Very good low budget.

I had one made out of Plexiglas by the local sign and advertisement shop. I use the Sodiumpersulfate ( if that is the right word) Clear when new, becomes blue from etching.
The container works fine. And I only need 150 ml to get it decent full for small projects, I can look inside. It was around 10 USD to make to order and saves a lot of waste with the small amount.

Small liquor bottles (I saw some brands making square shapes) will maybe a good idea, if the head can be cut off clean, did not figure that out for a square bottle yet.

I printed some parts out of pla that are submerged in the solution. With the solution that I use it seems to hold up very good. Weeks in the solutions and the PLA is still O.K.

Greetings Timo